Beached Whale
The damaged W.H.A.L.E. has reached Ehrlinger's Cove on the Florida Gulf Coast where the wounded crew start repairs with many onlookers mocking them. Meanwhile in the Everglades Destro and Firefly discuss getting even with Cobra Commander and head back to Springfield. At the town itself Cobra Commander and Wild Weasel arrive aboard a Rattler to a huge welcome parade. Meanwhile Ehrlinger's Cove repairs continue while Wild Bill flies Deep Six to the U.S.S. Jane for medical treatment. In the Everglades Destro and Firefly have caught a poacher and his swamp boat. They threaten to leave the poacher where alligators can attack him so he tells them they can find a boat to take them to the Atlantic in Ehrlinger's Cove. In Springfield Cobra Commander addresses a rally telling the assembled masses that Cobra is winning on all fronts. He introduces the new elite trooper - the Crimson Guard who will infiltrate society and commerce with the aim of rising high in politics. The first, Fred Broca, boards a car with his family and sets out to conquer. Back in the Gulf, Wild Bill collects replacement parts from the U.S.S. Jane and flies to the cove where the W.H.A.L.E. engine is now fixed but the other are fixing the armored housing on the jetty. Destro and Firefly arrive and throw the poacher in the water than attack Cutter, knocking him out and boarding the W.H.A.L.E. Using the guns they attack the other Joes and take off on land. The Dragonly lands and Duke boards it to pursue, while Cutter and Roadblock take a fishing boat back to the U.S.S. Jane. The W.H.A.L.E. heads down the interstate, brushing past the Sheriff and R.L. who are trying to find a vehicle to get them home. The Dragonfly swoops down to attack. Meanwhile Cutter and Roadblock arrive at the U.S.S. Jane and Cutter orders the vessel to move. Realizing the W.H.A.L.E. is heading across the peninsula to the open sea he heads to stop them. As the ship reaches the docks he engages the hydrofoils and takes the vessel onto land, heading down the interstate, though it breaks the hydrofoils. The ship soon reaches water again and catches up with the W.H.A.L.E. and Dragonfly. The helicopter goes in to attack the hovercraft, whose guns are jammed, but Destro fires his wrist rockets and hits the Dragonfly's engines. Wild Bill maneuvers the crashing vehicle to hit the deck of the U.S.S. Jane. Meanwhile on the W.H.A.L.E. Firefly tells Destro he has a plan and asks for help opening a depth charge. The W.H.A.L.E. launches two charges just as the Jane reaches it and takes it in through the forward sea doors. The Joes find the W.H.A.L.E. deserted but with plastic explosives spread out. Tripwire deduces that Destro and Firefly emptied the contents of the depth charges whilst he takes the detonator. Realizing there are only seven seconds left and no time to get it ump, he lies flat on the charge to save the others. But Roadblock picks him up, grabs the charge and throws it up the ventilation duct, coming out on deck and going over the edge. Duke realizes that Destro and Firefly must have hidden in the depth charge cans. Duke orders Cutter to initiate a search but the latter responds it is impossible now that it is dawn and five hundred shrimping vessels are afloat. The cans are on the deck of one of the vessels where Destro tells Firefly to head around the Keys into the Atlantic and then north to a large port before getting transport on to Springfield. |Appearing1= Featured Characters Featured Vehicles & Equipment Featured Locations |MemorableQuotes1= Cobra Commander's big speech, especially "... and our media department has succeeded in selling ten more mindless sitcoms to the networks to further lower the intelligence of America!". That sure explains a lot... |Errors1= *The slit on top of Cobra Commander's helmet repeatedly changes colour from blue to red. |ItemsOfNote1=*'First Appearances:' Crimson Guard, Yo-Jo Cola. *Wow, the people of Ehrlinger's Cove really are dicks, aren't they? *In the United Kingdom the story was reprinted in Action Force #17, #18 & #19. |RealWorldRefs1= |Footnotes= }} Category:Crimson Guard (RAH)/Appearances